Richard Wilding

Richard Wilding is a London-based photographer and filmmaker specialising in the documentation of cultural identity, heritage, archaeology and costume in the Middle East. He is currently working on long-term projects in Iraqi Kurdistan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

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Iraqi Kurdistan

Yazidi shrine, Lalish

The Yazidis follow an ancient religion that blends pre-Islamic Mesopotamian and Assyrian traditions, Christianity and Islam. Since 2014, the Yazidis have been targeted by ISIS. Lalish, northeast of Mosul, is their religious centre and focal point of an annual pilgrimage.
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Erbil citadel

Erbil citadel is dramatically situated on top of a mound, or ‘tell’, of accumulated archaeological layers, visually dominating the modern city of Erbil below. Believed to have been in existence for at least 6,000 years, it claims to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.
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Halabja

The towns of Penjwen and Halabja lie to the east of Sulaymaniyah, near the border with Iran. In 1988, Halabja was attacked with chemical weapons as part of the Anfal campaign in which Saddam Hussein violently suppressed Kurdish revolt during the Iran-Iraq war.
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Saudi Arabia

Mada’in Saleh

Mada’in Saleh, in the north of present-day Saudi Arabia, was settled by the Nabateans from the second century B.C. Although few visible traces remain of their ancient city, they left behind awe inspiring tombs carved out of the surrounding rocky outcrops.
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Asir

The Asir region lies in the south-west of Saudi Arabia on the border with Yemen. ‘Asir’ means ‘difficult’ in Arabic, reflecting the challenge involved in crossing the Asir Mountains. It is this remoteness that has helped preserve the distinctive cultural heritage of the region.
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Bir Hima and The Rub’ al Khali

Bir Hima lies to the north of Najran in southern Saudi Arabia, on the edge of the great Rub' al Khali desert. Around 300 individual sites contain rock carvings dating back to 5,500 B.C. These drawings show cattle, ibex, lion, baboons, giraffes and ostriches.
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